


Tell Me What it is You Want

by Aer



Series: RobRae Week 2017 [4]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Day 4, F/M, Fluff, Inspired by Up!, Old and Senile, Robrae week 2017, robrae - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-17 23:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10604301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aer/pseuds/Aer
Summary: They grew old together, but it's never too late.





	

Richard sighed, flipping so that his head was hanging off of the Tower's couch just like he used to do years and years ago, tilting the world upside down. He'd called it looking for a new perspective, then. Now, he just called it looking for something interesting. He was _bored_.

Retirement, unlike what he'd been lead to believe, was not the time of his life as he enjoyed his work free years doing whatever he wanted. Rather, it was unending monotony, every single day like the last. Routine was one thing, but this? This was a rut. And he was stuck in it.

Richard sighed again, more loudly, attracting his wife's attention. Rachel looked up from her meditations, long, snowy hair brushing against her cheek as she shook her head at him.

"Really Richard, what are you doing?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Testing to see if I can still move like I used to." He pushed himself back upright, spine cracking loudly in several places. They both winced at the noise.

"I would say that's a no." Rachel said dryly, and he scoffed.

"Oh, like you can tumble like we used to?" Richard shot back, folding his arms. A smile pulled at the corner of his lip and she answered with a smirk.

"I don't need to." Rachel responded loftily, as with a gesture several pillows rose into the air, rocketing towards him. With a laugh, he vaulted over the couch- hips protesting the whole way, but there were some things one never let go of, and acrobatics had been his- running away as quickly as his aging legs could take him. The pillows pursued him throughout the common room as Rachel chuckled behind him. He feinted left, before ducking behind the door to the kitchen, Rachel's pillow projectiles thudding harmlessly into the obstacle.

"I can still outrun you, so I wouldn't be too confident!" He called, not quite daring to emerge from behind his shield just yet. Rachel knew all of his tricks by now, and after fifty years of marriage he knew all of hers. There was almost certainly a pillow or two in reserve, waiting for him to leave the door's shelter. He cautiously poked his head out, before yanking back as a pillow flew straight for his face.

"But _I_ have always had more patience." Rachel murmured from behind him as a portal opened, dropping her into the kitchen, pillows circling around her like some sort of demented flock of birds. They arrowed towards him and he backflipped away, spine creaking alarmingly as he went.

"But I know all of your favorite moves." He countered, snatching one pillow from the air and using it to bat away the rest.

"And I, yours." The pillow in his hands yanked them up, heading straight for his face at close range. Richard released his grip, falling to the ground to let it shoot harmlessly by above, but before he could get back to his feet- his aged muscles were far less springy than they used to be, after all- the rest of the pillows dog piled onto him, Rachel laughing in the background.

"That makes four hundred and ten for me!" She said cheerfully. Time had mellowed her greatly, an increased amount of control over her powers allowing her emotions much freer range. In fact, it tend to surprise the younger heroes _more_ when she reverted to her more closed off state from earlier years, so capable of displaying emotions she had become.

Richard laughed along with her. "You're catching up."

"Five more and we'll be even, Ancient Wonder." She teased.

"Hey, watch who you're calling ancient, _Dove_." Rachel tossed the pure white hair that had started the nickname over her shoulder haughtily.

"At least I wear my aging gracefully, and don't try to hide it." She shot back. It had only been once his hair had gone completely silver that Richard's vanity had finally run its course enough to stop dying his hair black, and they both knew it.

"What can I say? You pull off old lady really well." He teased right back, and she snorted, smacking one of the pillows still piled around him over his face.

"Hush, you. I have aged gracefully, and you know it." Under the pillow, he smiled softly.

"You're just as beautiful as the day we met." Richard said tenderly.

"I can't say the same for you." She sniffed, still mock offended. He grinned, pushing the pillows away to sit up.

"Aww, you know you love me."

"Much to my eternal chagrin."

"Love you too!" Richard caught a smile lurking in the edges of her mouth before she turned away from him. She still moved like she wore a cloak, he noted, amused, all long, sweeping motions designed to make the fabric she was swathed in move for the best dramatic effect. Old habits were the hardest to break, he supposed. He still found himself reaching for his utility belt, despite both of them having hung up their superhero capes years ago.

Their impromptu- but well worn- spar over, he found himself remembering his earlier thoughts.

"Hey, Rachel?" He found himself asking as he pushed himself up from the floor. His wife hummed in acknowledgement as she put the kettle on to boil.

"Do you ever get... bored, here?" She glanced up, quirking an eyebrow in a silent request for elaboration.

"Being retired, I mean. I know we're too old and creaky for the superhero game anymore, but it's not an easy life to shake off." He sighed, suddenly melancholy. "I miss the action, the excitement. Don't you?"

Rachel crossed her legs, floating as she waited for the water. She'd developed the habit of levitating to his head height as soon as it became clear that he had grown almost a head taller than she would ever be, and she still did it at every possible opportunity. He didn't mind. It was easier to kiss her when their lips were level, for one, as he proved, ducking in to press a kiss designed to smooth away the contemplative frown her mouth had pulled into.

"I suppose I do." Rachel finally admitted. "I don't want to go back to fighting crime though, I like the peace we've gotten." Richard nodded in agreement. They'd more than paid their dues there, and while part of him had always thought he'd die in uniform, he couldn't deny how much he liked this option instead.

"You've always been more restless than I have, anyway." The woman who'd married him fifty years ago said knowingly. He nodded. It was true, after all. Raven hummed in thought.

"We don't have to go back to crime fighting for excitement." She pointed out. "There's plenty for us to do in the world other than stop criminals."

"Like what? Visit the casinos?" Richard snorted, and Rachel's nose wrinkled in distaste.

"No, not that. I was thinking more like... Travel. See the world we've helped save."

Richard blinked, before beginning to nod. "I hadn't thought of that. We've been so many places in our work as superheroes that I hadn't really realized we've never been somewhere for fun." He tilted his head, beginning to think through the logistics.

"We have the funds, that's for sure. And our friends wouldn't care. They'd probably ask to visit!" Garfield, Victor, and Kori all understood the desire to wander, after all. He frowned, as a thought came to mind. "But what about the Tower?"

When the last Titan retired, Rachel had purchased the Tower from Victor, turning it into their private residence.

"It's the only place I've ever felt like I was truly home." She'd told him once. He couldn't ask her to just leave that behind.

"So let's take it with us."

Richard blinked, before deadpanning. "What." The Tower was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a portable structure.

"You heard me. It's got flight capability."

" _What_."

"Remember that time about ten years ago when you were gone visiting Bruce and the rest of the Titans came by? Victor got roaring drunk and told me all about the flight systems he'd installed. He ended up updating them too- while still drunk, of course. The only person I know who's drunk engineering is better than most people's sober." She said, lips twitching in a fond smile.

"The Tower can _fly_ , and you never told me?" Richard pressed a hand to his heart, eyes wide. The wounded presentation was only about half an act- he really would have liked to know that the Tower could fly.

"It slipped my mind. You know how things are." Rachel shrugged. "It didn't seem important at the time. Just a relic of by gone days." The kettle's whistle broke the sudden heaviness of the air, and she moved easily through the familiar motions of brewing tea.

"So, what you're telling me, is we can literally see the wonders of the world from the comfort of our own home. How does the Tower even fly, anyway? It's not exactly an aerodynamic structure." He might still be a little stuck on that.

"The way I understood it- a bit like a hot air balloon. Or rather, a very large zeppelin." Rachel moved over to sit at the kitchen table, raising an eyebrow in invitation. He sat across from her mechanically, mind working over the possibilities.

"Ok, I can see it. Kind of. Is that why we have all those generators and solar panels stored in the basement?"

"And the rain tanks, yes." Rachel said, amused.

"Vic thought of everything, huh."

"Indeed."

"So I guess the only real question now is; when do you want to leave, and where do you want to go first?"

"That's two questions, Richard." Rachel said, smiling.

"Whatever. You know what I mean." He waved a hand, and she nodded.

"The others would be rather upset with us if we left without saying goodbye." She pointed out, and he agreed.

"Yeah, wouldn't be right to take off without seeing them."

"As for our first destination... I've always wanted to see Paradise Falls." Rachel offered, sipping her tea. Richard blinked, before a smile grew on his face.

"You watched _Up_!" He accused, grinning to take any sting out of the words.

"It was... poignant." She allowed stiffly. "And very well done."

His grin widened. "You loved it, don't even lie." The glare Rachel shot him was half hearted at best.

"It was an enjoyable use of two hours, no more." She defended weakly. He just grinned at her some more, content in his new found knowledge. Even after fifty years, she could still surprise him. It was one of her charms, to be sure.

"I'll call the others, tell them we're having a party this weekend, an old Titan get together. And then... The Falls!" Richard bounced away from the table, feeling more excited than he had in years. He scooped Rachel up from her chair, the woman yelping as she had to speedily set down her mug or risk hot tea splashing everywhere.

"We're going on an adventure!" He sang, dancing around the kitchen. Rachel was stiff in his arms, but the spark of amusement in violet eyes gave away her enjoyment. Just to see if he could make her laugh, he spun and dipped her to a nonexistent beat, before pulling her up and into a proper dance. It took a few more tries, but eventually the combination of a two handed spin, twirl, and lift got a chuckle to slip out. Richard grinned.

"Hey, Rachel?"

"Yes, Richard?"

"I love you." Her eyes danced, and he instantly knew what was coming.

"I know."

"Hey, not fair! I only Han Solo-ed you once, years ago! And it was only because you'd surprised me. How long are you going to hold it against me?" He complained, though his eyes sparkled. This too, was a well worn path they trod.

"Forever." She replied, and he smiled.

"Guess I'll just have to stick around. Wouldn't want you to be waiting for me." He played along.

"Good. I'd just track you down if you didn't." Was Rachel's matter of fact reply. They held mock serious faces for another moment, before Richard began to laugh.

"I love you so much, Rae."

"I love you too. Now put me down."

Richard chuckled fondly, but set her down as commanded. They were going to travel the world, he thought with excitement, and as he watched Rachel retrieve her tea, he knew, just as he had known all those years ago:

There was no one else he'd rather do it with.


End file.
